TV Trial: Game of Thrones Season 5 Episode 2

House of Black & White

Last week’s episode of Game of Thrones left much to be desired, in my opinion. The action was lacking and the show seemed to be setting up the story – as if we haven’t been following the story for years now.

This new episode, the House of Black and White, has more action but, we are still seeing the main plot lines revealing themself as we finally see the last story line building for Arya, and Sansa/Brienne of Tarth.

Below contains both show and book spoilers but book spoilers have been hidden and may be avoided.

Summary and Comparison

We finally get to see Arya, who is dropped off at the House of Black and White, in Braavos. She knocks on the door and says that Jaqen H’ghar has given her a coin which she presents to the man answering the door. She is turned away. She refuses to give up right away and spends a few days, sitting outside, even through rain. She eventually gives up though, and throws her coin into the water. While around in Braavos, she encounters a group of young men want to take away a pigeon she has just killed. But then, the man from the House of Black and White shows up, the young men run away in fear, and she follows the man back to the House of Black and White. There he reveals himself as the face of Jaqen H’ghar but says that is not his name. With his lead, she finally enters the doors.

View Spoiler »The biggest difference here really is that Jaqen H’ghar has “technically” not been since since he left Arya’s company. However, there is a description fitting the person he changed into that is mentioned in the Prologue of A Feast for Crows. A person, fitting the same description, changes into Pate, an aspiring Maester, at the Citadel. The description is identical and so it is believed that Jaqen [or whoever he really is] is now in the Citadel and not a the House of Black and White. « Hide Spoiler

Brienne and Podrick end up in a Tavern where there meet Sansa, who has dyed her hair and Littlefinger. Brienne walks over to introduce herself and to ask Sansa to assist with protecting her, while Podrick readies the horses. Sansa refuses her help after Littlefinger tries to discredit Brienne by pointing out that she has failed Renly Baratheon and Lady Catelyn. Sansa also points out that she saw Brienne bend the knee to Joffrey in King’s Landing. Brienne replies that, sometimes we have to do things we don’t agree with and refuses to join Littlefinger’s company when he offers. As she tried to leave, she is pursued by Littlefinger’s Knights. She and Podrick eventually get away and Pod puts a good question to Brienne, “if both Lady Catelyn’s daughter’s have refused her help, is her vow still valid”. However, Brienne believes that Sansa isn’t safe with Littlefinger, and she now plans for them to follow her and keep her safe when the time is right.

View Spoiler »In the books Sansa is still at the Eyrie with Littlefinger, however she is pretending to be his bastard daughter, Alayne, and no one knows her true identity. Brienne never meets her nor Arya and she is still looking her them when she meets Lady Stoneheart, but perhaps that is a tale for another day. « Hide Spoiler

Cersei receives a threat from Dorne. She is worried for her remainding Children and accuses Jaime of never referring to his children as his. After some time, Jaime offers to go to Dorne and bring back Princess Myrcella. Cersei laughs at this and says how does he plan to do this alone with one hand, to which he replies, “who said I was going alone”.

Later on Cersei hold council meeting where she appoints Qyburn as the new Master of Whispers, Ser Kevan Lannister, her uncle, as Master of War and Mace Tyrell as Master of Coin. She does all this on the claim that the King himself requested it and he will not be appointing a Hand until he is old enough, until such time, she will be advising the King. All of this is too much for Kevan and he says that Cersei has no rights in Council and that if the King wants him to be his Master of War then he will summon him from Casterly Rock, himself.

Jaime then goes to recruit Ser Bronn to join him on his quest to rescue his daughter/niece, and releases him from his marriage betrothal to Lollys.

View Spoiler »In the book Cersei begs Jaime to be hand but he repeatedly refuses her. Eventually he is sent on a mission to end the siege at Riverrun where Ser Brynden Tully has control of the last of King Robb Stark’s strongholds. By this time Bronn has already married Lollys and he names Lollys’ bastard son Tyrion in honour of Tyrion Lannister. « Hide Spoiler

A very upset and vengeful, Ellaria Sand confronts Doran Martell about doing nothing about his brothers death. She wants to send Myrcella back to King’s Landing, one finger at a time.

View Spoiler »The A Dance with Dragons, it is actuall Obara, on of Oberyn’s daughters that has a similar conversation with Prince Doran Martell. « Hide Spoiler

Tyrion and Varys makes their way to Mereen via Volantis and Tyrion is kept inside an enclosed Palaquin during the journey. Varys makes mention of them looking for another ruler, to which Tyrion replies that there are too many rulers. Varys also mentions that Cersei has offered a Lordship to any man who bring her Tyrion’s head. The line “the best part of her for the best part of me” is actually taken word-for-word from the book, A Dance with Dragons.

Daarios Naharis and Grey Worm capture one of the Sons of the Harpys and after some discussion and advice from her council, Dany decides to give him a fair trial. However, the slaves’s representative on her councils excutes the Harpy’s sons and Dany is forced to excute him publicly for his crime. This doesn’t win her any favours and start a riot in the city. Later, when Dany is alone, she hears a noise outside and sees Drogon on the roof of her pyramind.

View Spoiler »As far as I am into book 5 I have still not gotten to anything significant for Dany, especially not them catching and executing a Harpy’s Son. I hope this is not a spoiler for the book. « Hide Spoiler

At the wall, Stannis makes Jon an offer that is hard to refuse. He offers to legitimize him and make him Lord of Winterfell. However, Jon tells Sam later, that he plans to refuse the King’s offer. After that, the brothers of the Knight’s Watch are casting nominations for the New Lord Commander, and Sam nominates Jon, telling everyone of his heroics after the death of the last Lord Commander, Mormont. The vote is a tie and then Maester Aemon casts his vote for Jon and he become the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.

View Spoiler »Jon was actually chosen as Lord Commander before Stannis offers him Winterfell. Sam actually has to do much more to convince everyone to vote for Jon and the votes are pretty close as well. « Hide Spoiler

I’m still a bit disappointed. There is no news of Bran and I am wondering if they are planning to keep him out of this season. I really hated that they completely removed Coldhands from his story. I think, somehow, HBO is trying to take the Fantasy out of the story or atleast keep it to a minimum. I really loved the fantasy parts of the story, though.

I don’t think Dany should have executed the Slave’s representative since at this point the slaves are the only one’s on her side in Meereen.

I’m super excited for Jon’s story and I hope that some very gratifying things happen now. I’m also excited to see how Cersei power play works out for her in the long run.

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